For many frequent travelers, there's no place like home when it comes to sleep.

The majority of 1,004 adults polled by the National Sleep Foundation earlier this year said that they'd prefer their bedroom over a quality hotel room.

Much of it had to do with bedding. For 62% of them, their pillows were better. For 56%, their sheets were superior. And for 55%, it was the mattress that made the difference.

Another 59% said their bedroom at home was just quieter.

Sleeping on planes is even more of a challenge. Good luck finding a pillow or sheets, and a barely reclining chair is a poor substitute for a mattress.

"It's easier to sleep when you're in the same environment that you're usually in, one that's quiet, dark and cool," says Shelby Harris, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at New York's Montefiore Medical Center.

Dave Horowitz, a sales director from Hamilton, N.J., finds himself tossing and turning quite a bit on the road. "I love sleeping in my bed," he says. "First of all, it's nice having my wife next to me. I'm used to my pillow and the firmness of my mattress."

There's not much hotels can do about a missed spouse, but they have in recent years invested in better bedding and tried to limit the noise in hallways.

The Lorien Hotel & Spa in Alexandria, Va., has a Dream Menu, with a collection of services and amenities to get a good night's sleep. Want a Bed Wedge that elevates the upper torso? A Snore-no-More pillow? An old-fashioned hot water bottle? Press the "Dream" button on the guestroom phone, and it'll show up in your room.

The Fairmont San Francisco offers a kit with a sleep machine, earplugs, eye mask and slippers.

Crowne Plaza has a "Sleep Advantage" program. Properties have quiet zones where there can be no room attendant, housekeeping or engineering activities from Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. And there are guaranteed wake-up calls for those who manage to get a deep sleep, or the room is free.

Hampton hotels had a "Clean and Fresh Bed" designed with a sleeker, more modern look to replace outdated blankets.

Kurt Smith, Hampton's vice president of product quality and innovation, says the old comforter, which was usually a dark color, had been washed maybe once a quarter. Six years ago, they tossed those out and replaced them with a white duvet cover that's washed after every guest checks out. They got sheets with higher thread counts. They standardized the mattresses. They finished off the bed with two feather and two foam pillows. And if customers are really having a hard time sleeping, there's an MP3 speaker with soothing sounds.

"We would tuck them in if they let us," he says. "We want them to get a good night's sleep."

She won't tuck you in, but The Benjamin Hotel in New York has a sleep concierge who assesses your sleeping habits and helps you choose from an extensive pillow menu.

Plane problems

The airline industry has done much to help their first- and business-class customers sleep better with the introduction of lie-flat beds. But coach passengers are out of luck. These days, some airlines charge for pillows and blankets.

"When you're on a plane, you're in a very different position; you're not as comfortable, there are people coming around," Harris says.

She suggests traveling with an eye mask. "Even though the plane is dark, people have iPads that will be distracting," she says.

Leonard Lee, a former pilot for Pinnacle Airlines who lives in Stillwater, Minn., says he doesn't travel without earplugs or noise-cancellation headphones.

"Airline cabins are noisy, and the noise greatly contributes to fatigue, even on short flights," he says. "Even if I don't fall asleep, I'm much more rested and less fatigued when I have some protection against the noise."

He also carries an inflatable sleep pillow. "While not perfect, they can at least make a coach seat a little more suitable for sleeping, and you're less likely to wake up with your head unexpectedly resting on your neighbor's shoulder."

While sleep aids such as melatonin might make you fall asleep, experts say you should consult a doctor first.

Many travelers think alcohol will put them to sleep, but it will have the opposite effect, says Smith Johnston, a flight surgeon and the chief of the fatigue management team at NASA, which is trying to come up with strategies for astronauts to fight jet lag. "Alcohol will put you to sleep but it's not good as far as keeping you asleep," he says.

The same strategies can help travelers sleep better in a hotel room.

Harris says as soon as you walk into your room, you should "look for sleep threats."

If the shades don't close completely, call the front desk to have them fixed or move to another room. Make sure you're not near an elevator. If the phone has voice mail, ask the front desk to keep the phone from ringing after a certain time.

Also try to make the room feel as much like home as possible. There's no shame in traveling with your favorite photo or candle, Harris says.

Temperature is also important. The best sleeping temperature is in the 50s to upper 60s.

Maintain your usual workout routine, but don't work out close to bedtime or you'll be too energetic to sleep.

Anya Orlanska, The Benjamin's sleep concierge, also recommends avoiding electronics such as computers and iPads within an hour of bedtime. "These devices emit daylight-spectrum lighting, which makes it difficult for you to fall asleep," she says.

Also avoid having a large meal before bed, because it can cause indigestion. But there's nothing wrong with small bedtime snacks if you're hungry, she says.

If you have bedtime rituals at home, such as listening to soft music or sipping a cup of herbal tea, don't skip them. They will be your body's cue that it's time for bed.

"Relax before going to bed," she says. "Spending quiet time can make falling asleep easier."